The aim of this project is to explore the feasibility and implications of an industrial based avatar system for human-robot skills transfer in an Industry 4.0 setting.
Human-to-robot skill transfer
Modern manufacturing is experiencing a paradigm shift from mass production towards mass customisation in the fourth revolution of industry. Manufacturing companies require more flexible and reconfigurable robotic systems to meet the fast-changing and diversified demands of consumers, and industries are also grappling with the effects of crises such as COVID-19, which is halting production and/or placing individuals in hazardous environments to complete tasks that could essentially be transferred to, and completed by, the next generation of robotic systems.
These systems could safely work alongside human workers without any robot-specific arrangements and flexibly adapt to different tasks as their human counterparts. However, the social, technical, and legal implications that may arise from the design, development and implementation of such systems have not been adequately defined and explored.
The use of this human-robot skill transfer technology is increasingly important today, particularly in the current COVID-19 climate where industry closures are common, and where individuals are potentially working in hazardous environments, both scenarios of which could be eased through the transferring and delegation of skills to a robotic system.
Researchers
Emre Sariyildiz (EIS) will serve as the primary (lead) contact and will co-lead the project, focussing on directing the engineering and technical elements based on his experience in control and automation engineering.
Roba Abbas (BAL) will co-lead this project, and will oversee the stakeholder consultation process, including the socio-technical and tech-legal implications assessment.
Yvonne Apolo (BAL) will contribute to the tech-legal implications assessment and the stakeholder consultation process, by working with the (student) research assistant #2 to provide an analysis of key legislation, regulations and policies that intersect with the making, commercialisation, and deployment of the robotics system.
Rahim Mutlu (EIS) will work with Dr Sariyildiz and the student research assistant #1 on the feasibility study and concept development process based on his expertise in mechanical design and manufacturing.
Gursel Alici (EIS) will provide expertise in the engineering and technical elements based on his experience in intelligent mechatronic systems, robotics and human-machine interface and mentor the ECRs of the project on managing the team, employing staff, seeking for further internal and external grants, widening academic and industrial networks and accessing resources to achieve the best outcome.
